In packet switching networks that are utilized for application requiring a high reliability, there is the need to maintain such packet switching networks at a high degree of reliability. It is important that network managers who are responsible for such packet switching networks be aware of potential network problems at all times. Often, such networks are not used during certain periods of the day. An excellent example of this is a packet switching network utilized for the communication of VoIP calls. During the night such a network will have limited if any call activity. A network problem occurring during the night that would disable communication via the network between switching domains would not be discovered until the following day when employees or other individuals would be attempting to utilize the packet switching network. The protocol that is utilized by many VoIP type protocols has the capability of monitoring the network using techniques such as RTCP (real-time transport control protocol) packets. However, RTCP packets are only sent between active endpoints. In periods, when the endpoints are idle, no traffic is sent. In addition, the intervals of communication between various domains may vary with time with one domain not having communication with another domain except for certain times of the day. Normally, a domain composes a plurality of endpoints that may be IP telephones, soft phones, or other devices interconnected by a LAN.
One solution that has been utilized in the prior art is to have all idle IP endpoints generate calls throughout the network to verify communications to all domains by faking VoIP calls and allowing the use of RTCP packets. The problem with this prior art solution is that it degrades the performance of the network since it generates an excessive amount of traffic. A second method that has been utilized within the prior art is to designate individual IP endpoints on each LAN/domain to function as network probes for that LAN. A network probe is simply an IP endpoint that is generating traffic to perform testing. The problem with this second method is that if the IP endpoint becomes engaged in an actual call it is no longer generating traffic throughout the network. Normally an IP endpoint being used as a probe would generate traffic to all of the other domains of the network. However, when an IP endpoint is engage in a call, it only deals with one other endpoint located in a particular domain.